Thank you for finding my page. Hard to believe that I am attempting this trip and that I have a web page. I am pleased to be training, dieting, hiking for New Way.

I have embarked on a rigorous and extremely painful fitness crash course ahead of the September trip. The gym instructor asked me how fit I was, I said it depends how you define fit. He paused and asked how often I went to the gym. I admitted that I was unfit.

So what are you getting for your donation? Obviously you are helping local projects on a human scale, but I know that you all want to know just how much pain I am in. Well, how's about the following? No beer, no pudding wine, no rugby world cup, no 20/20 world cup, no potatoes, no seconds, no late nights, no congestion charge (I now walk to and from work, 9 miles round trip), but the positives are, I have a pair of walking boots, a rucksack and something called Nordic poles. There is a course onExmoor which teaches you how to traverse painlessly using Nordic poles. Good grief.

 Peter is lending me his sleeping bag, and I am looking forward to sleeping under canvas for the second time in my life. So as you write out your virtual cheque you should have two thoughts. Firstly, the good that you are allowing to happen inAfrica and secondly, the pain that this insanity is causing me. Please don't hold back. We both know that this won't be happening too often. All sponsors will be receiving a weekly diary from me. This may tempt you to make a repeat donation. 

I have been training for a week. I wish I could tell you that I felt better for it.

 Thanks for your generosity.

 Piers   aka Captain Haddock  

Updates:

1. I thought that I should grow a beard.....how many more things must I do to get sponsored? 

2. I have decided to treat myself to my own sleeping bag. Another first. The training is tough. If you would like a fuller account, you must sponsor me.